Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem has started operations at a new facility in Boston, Massachusetts to expand its focus on the research, development and commercialization of chemicals and materials procured from renewable feedstocks.

The thermoplastics resins producer will indulge into biotechnology and material science R&D, business and market development and technology scouting for important strategic partnerships through the new facility.

Commenting on the new Braskem facility in Boston, Gustavo Sergi – Braskem Renewable Chemicals Business Director, said: “Renewable chemistry will lead the next wave of development in chemicals and polymers. Our announcement today reinforces Braskem’s position at the forefront of this movement.

“As we look forward, by developing and leading the next wave of renewable chemicals and polymers, we are bringing our customers new and innovative choices.”

Company announcement. Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Braskem has named Dr. Daniel P. MacEachran as new Head of Metabolic Engineering to lead the R&D initiatives at the new Braskem facility in Boston. The Brazilian petrochemical company said that Dr. MacEachran has joined the company from Greenlight Biosciences, a biotechnology company focused on the sustainable production of chemicals.

Mateus Schreiner Garcez Lopes – Braskem Head of Innovation in Renewable Technologies, commenting on the new Braskem facility in Boston, said: “The operation in Boston will complement the metabolic engineering capabilities that we have in our Renewable Chemistry Research Center in Campinas (Brazil) as well as our material science competencies present in our R&D centers in Triunfo (Brazil) and Pittsburgh (USA). In addition, this location positions Braskem in a strategic ecosystem that will enable us to leverage key partnerships for research and market development.”